AO is a participant
in the Amazon
Services LLC
Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising
program designed to
provide a means for
sites to earn advertising
fees by advertising and
linking toamazon.com.

AmblesideOnline: Bible

These are the Bible readings scheduled in AO's weekly schedules, and exam questions are based on this schedule. Feel free to substitute; some may prefer to follow along with their church's reading plan, though you'll need to make adjustments to exam questions. There are additional Bible reading plans scheduled for 2, 3, or 4 years arranged from Genesis to Revelation, or more chronologically here.

Year 1 - Favorite Bible Stories
Year 2 - Genesis and Matthew
Year 3 - Exodus and Luke
Year 4 - Joshua/Judges and Mark
Year 5 - Prophets/Kings and Life of Christ (gospels in harmony), part 1
Year 6 - start chronological reading in OT and continue Life of Christ (gospels in harmony)
Year 7 - continue chronological reading in OT and start chron in NT

Year 1

1. Genesis 1:26-31; 2:7, 20-25; 3:1-24 (Adam and Eve)
2. Genesis 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:13-18; 8:13-22 (Noah and the ark)
3. Genesis 22:1-19 (Abraham and Isaac)
4. Genesis 25:27-34 (The sale of a birthright)
5. Genesis 28:10-22 (The story of the ladder that reached to heaven)
6. Genesis 37:1-4, 11, 28b (The coat of many colors)
7. Genesis 41:15-49, 53-57 (The dreams of a king)
8. Exodus 2:1-10 (Moses, the child who was found in the river)
9. Exodus 3:1-4:17 (The burning bush)
10. Numbers 13:1-14:9 (The grapes from Canaan)
11. Judges 6:11-24; 6:36-7:25 (Gideon and his three hundred soldiers)
12. Judges 13:1-25; 16:4-31 (Samson, the strong man)
13. The whole book of Ruth spread over several days or Ruth 1:1-17; 2:1-2; 3:1-6; 4:13-17 (Ruth, the gleaner)
14. 1 Sam. 16:1, 5-13 (David: the shepherd boy)
15. 1 Sam. 17:1-54 (The fight with the giant)
16. 1 Sam. 24:1-22 (David spares Saul)
17. I Kings 1:28-40; 6:1-14, 38 (Solomon and his temple)
18. I Kings 18:20-39 (Elijah and the prophets of Baal)
19. Jonah 1:1-2:10 (Jonah and the whale)
20. Daniel 3 (The fiery furnace)
21. Daniel 6 (Daniel in the lion's den)
22. Luke 1:5-20, 57-66 (The angel by the altar)
23. Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20 (The Babe of Bethlehem)
24. Matthew 2:1-12 (The star and the wise men)
25. Luke 2:41-52 (The child in the temple)
26. John 2:1-11 (The water that was turned into wine)
27. John 4:5-42 (The stranger at the well)
28. Luke 5:1-11 (The story of the fishermen)
29. Matt. 5:1-10 (The sermon on the mount)
30. Luke 7:1-10 and other stories of miracles, if desired (The miracle worker)
31. John 10:7-18 and Luke 10:29-37 (The Good Shepherd and the good Samaritan)
32. Matthew 21:1-11 (The palm branches)
33. Luke 22:39-51 (The betrayal)
34. Mark 16:1-8 (The empty tomb)
35. Acts 1:1-11 (The ascension)
36. Acts 3:1-16; 4:1-22 (The man at the beautiful gate)

(The list of Bible stories is mostly from The Wonder Book of Bible Stories, and it has pictures to go with them. The stories should be read from the Bible, though, not a retelling.)

Year 2

Years 2-5 use selections and passage titles from J. Paterson Smyth's commentaries, which Charlotte Mason used. Smyth's commentaries reflect doctrine from his time and denomination (Victorian-era Anglican). They are not listed as part of AO's Bible reading; only the Bible passages themselves are scheduled. There is a J Paterson Smyth website with his books as pdf files here

Through the Bible Reading Plan

This is a 6-year reading plan for students that goes through the Old Testament in Years 6-11, and adds the New Testament alongside the OT in Years 7-11. (Year 6 continues the gospel in harmony from years 2-6). The books were arranged in chronological order (using Frank DeRemer's "one-year parallel chronological bible" as a guide to arranging Bible Books in order, and then using word counts to divide it into years) but this isn't an exact chronological reading plan, as books of the Bible weren't broken up to splice individual verses where they belong chronologically. Books were kept whole. The Song of Solomon and Revelation, which should be done with a good study guide, are not included in this schedule; they will be done in Year 12 (when students will be encouraged to read through the entire Bible in a year). Psalms and Proverbs are scheduled so that Psalms are done twice (in years 6-8, and 9-11) and Proverbs are read through three times (in years 6/7, 8/9, and 10/11).

You may have students read alone for private devotional reading, or use this schedule as part of a family devotional time. Each week's reading can be broken up in whatever way works best for you and your students. The schedule goes along slowly enough to follow along with your favorite study guide or commentary if you wish to study as you read. There are 216 readings spread over 6 years, although you are welcome to use them any way you wish.

Exam questions are based on AO's weekly scheduled readings, so if you use the schedule differently, you will need to adjust exam questions accordingly.

Year 6

Year 6 combines NT readings continued from earlier years (those readings are above), and begins with the OT portion of the "Through the Bible" plan.